Solved preparing your Desktop stuck - then not genuine message

[crodgers]

Hi! So I have an issue where I go to log in and the Preparing Your Desktop message goes on for a long time and the hard drive does not sound busy. task manager shows only 4 processes and will not let me see "all users" processes. I have rebooted onto my install dvd and it said that my disk was missing system property (or something like that). I rebooted and still hanging at the preparing your desktop message. I decided to let it sit for a while (went back an hour or so later). I wiggled the mouse and the light blue screen has the following message in the bottom right corner:

Windows 7
Build 7601
This copy of Windows is not genuine

Recent history:
1 disk with C partition had Vista. Installed Windows 7 (dualboot) into G partition of the same drive. I have finished transferring all of my programs over, so I moved the MBR from C to G (thanks to the help here in sevenforums) and reformatted the C drive.

I installed UBUNTU on different physical drive (using the Bios to determine when I want to boot on the other drive).

I decided to clean up by first drive. Using the boot CD for Partition Wizard, I got rid of the C drive and expanded the G drive to the left. I shrank the resulting G drive a little on the right to let me expand the remaining data partition to the left so that all space is allocated to D (recovery from Gateway), G (Windows 7), and J (data).

I rebooted back and forth between Windows and Unix a couple of times and everything seems fine.

In unix I mounted the J drive and files looked fine. I did NOT mount the Win 7 partition.

Late last night, I went to boot back into Win 7 and I fell asleep at the keyboard waiting for it to reboot/log in. I remember waking up and seeing a message that said something like "You must reboot your system for updates to take affect". I clicked OK to reboot and went to bed.

Now this morning that is what I get - stuck at Preparing your desktop, and now that I have waited long enough, I get the genuine message.. I have tried logging into all 3 accounts that are configured - same thing. I have been running Win 7 for probably a year or more.

Did I lose the geuine (whatever it checks) when I moved the MBR? Or maybe when I resized the Win 7 drive?

What can I do to fix this? I have the original install DVD. Should I roll back whatever change was installed last night? Or do I have to reactivate my license or something like that?

 

[Maguscreed]

I would just reactivate the liscense if you are legit it shouldn't be a problem. You may have to phone in

Anyhow here's the two activation methods most people use.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18715-activate-windows-7-phone.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3408-activate-windows-7-online.html

 

[crodgers]

It starts with pressing the Start button - I don't get that far... Do I boot from the DVD?

 

[crodgers]

I ran the command on my laptop to get the phone number - but it says i need to be at the PC with the activation window open.

I am stuck trying to log in.

 

[crodgers]

Maybe I should boot off of DVD and undo last change? Or is this genuinity thing going to be an issue?

 

[crodgers]

Well... booting off the DVD, I tried restoring to a previous save point, but no save point is found.

Trying repair shows everything successful... OS Boot is success...

when I boot off the disk, I get the login screen with my user icons. I choose any of the 3 (they all perform the same result), get stuck at Preparing your desktop, press ctl-alt-del and see the menu of 5 items in the middle. When I hit escape, I get the light blue screen witht the not genuine message in the lower right.

I can't get to an activationscreen.

I can boot from the DVD and get a command prompt option (from the DVD). Does that help me?

 

[Maguscreed]

What's the source of the dvd you are working off of?

 

[crodgers]

Windows 7 Pro 32 bit (upgrade)

 

[crodgers]

I was originally going to do the 64bit, but it did not like my dvd drive, so I went with the 32bit just to get it going.

 

[Maguscreed]

Did you use this installation method?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html

 

[crodgers]

Yes, I believe so. Fresh install into another partition.

 

[crodgers]

Ok, I am back up and running. the problem started because of my messing with the Windows partition. All I did was resize it (left and right) with Partition Wizard (through the boot cd, not within windows). But that was enough to mess up something for Windows. The result - it relettered my drives - then registry did not match.

Found fix in a Microsoft thread: Not Genuine after partition change

In short:
- boot to safe mode with command prompt
- (attempt to) log in
- ctl-alt-del
- choose task manager
- applications tab, new task
- check to run as administrator
- browse (it brings up windows explorer)
- note the new drive letters and remember what they used to be
- cancel out of windows explorer , type regedit in the new task box
- go to HKey_Local_Machine
- go to System
- go to MountedDevices
- rename the Names with the drive letters (\DosDevices\C to be what they used to be. You may need to start by renaming one to a drive that does nto exist just to free up the name.
- exit out and reboot

In my case, I renamed \DosDevices\C: to \DosDevices\G:, then renamed 2 more just to get them all back to what they were (E to J, F to E).

After rebooting, microsoft security essentials said it was not genuine and to go online and fix now. I clicked that, brought me to a download page for some activation tool. Downloaded and ran the tool. Then pulled up Security Essentials again and clicked to re-check for genuine. It then went back to normal.

BTW, I started out the toubleshooting after unplugging all other hard drives.

I have powered off and on and everything still looks good.